Electronic real estate access system

ABSTRACT

A system for providing physical access to a building that is for sale, lease, or rent is described. The system includes a server, a remote device located at the building that prohibits access to the building, and a handheld device. The handheld device transmits location information for the handheld device and identification information to the server. The server identifies the building based on the location information and transmits marketing information for the building to the handheld device. The device displays the marketing information and transmits a request for access to the building, the request transmitted to the server. The remote device is configured to provide access to the building when the remote device receives an access signal from the server or from the handheld device. The access signal is sent from the server based on confirmation of the location information for the handheld device and confirmation of the identification information.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present disclosure relates to real estate access and, in oneparticular example, to a location-based real estate access system.

2. Related Art

Traditional real estate sales benefit from a real estate sales agentscheduling showings of a particular property for potential real estatepurchasers. The real estate agent must be available at the particularproperty in order to provide the potential property purchasers access tothe property, to provide tours of the property, and to answer questionsabout the property. This allows the potential purchasers to experiencethe property in order to determine whether the property meets thepotential purchasers' styling, size, layout, and functional needs. Whenthe potential purchaser is committed to purchasing a property, thepotential purchaser typically seeks representation by a real estateprofessional.

By requiring that a real estate sales agent be available at a particularproperty before potential buyers may view the property, the number ofpotential property purchasers who are able to view the particularproperty is significantly reduced. This is especially true during daysand times of the week when real estate agents are not available toprovide access to property. The reduction in potential purchasers whoview the property often results in the property staying on the marketfor an extended duration, the property selling for less than an optimalsales price, or discouraging the property owner from continuing topursue a sale of the property. Further, the potential purchasers'inability to conveniently view property results in a significantreduction in the number of properties that the potential purchasersview. This results in the potential purchasers not considering aproperty for purchase that may otherwise fit their needs.

During open house showings, the number of available agents at aparticular property may not be sufficient to address the number ofpotential purchasers viewing the property. As a result, not allpotential purchasers who view the property are able to fully experiencethe property. For example, potential purchasers who are not able to meetwith an agent during an open house will be limited in the informationthat they can collect about the property and may be limited in accessingcertain parts of the property.

One existing option for allowing a potential property purchaser toaccess a property without requiring a real estate sales agent to bepresent at the property is to provide a mechanical lockbox at theproperty location. The lockbox contains the key to the property and thekey is accessible only by using an alphabetical or numerical passcode. Areal estate sales agent provides potential purchasers with the passcodeso that they can access the key to the property. However, disclosing thepasscode to potential purchasers brings about additional or unintendedliabilities. For example, the potential purchasers can disseminate thepasscode to individuals who are unknown to the real estate sales agentand who can then access the property without accountability.

Because the successful sale or purchase of a real estate property oftendepends on the ability of purchasers to quickly and convenientlyexperience a property they are considering for purchase, existingsystems fail to provide comprehensive techniques for providing realestate access.

SUMMARY

A system for providing physical access to a building that is for sale,lease, or rent is described. The system includes a server, a remotedevice located at the building that prohibits access to the building,and a handheld device. The handheld device transmits locationinformation for the handheld device and identification information tothe server. The server identifies the building based on the locationinformation and transmits marketing information for the building to thehandheld device. The handheld device displays the marketing informationon a display and transmits a request for access to the building, therequest transmitted to the server. The remote device is configured toprovide access to the building when the remote device receives an accesssignal from the server or from the handheld device. The access signal issent from the server after confirmation of the location information forthe handheld device and confirmation of the identification information.

The user of the handheld device may provide user input indicatinginterest in the displayed marketing information. In response, thehandheld device transmits a marketing request to the server. Themarketing request requests additional characteristics about thebuilding. In response to receiving the marketing request, the servertransmits supplementary characteristics about the building to thehandheld device for display.

The confirmation of the location information for the handheld device maycomprise confirmation that the location information indicates thehandheld device is within a threshold distance of the remote device. Theconfirmation of the location information may further compriseconfirmation that the location information is received by the serverwithin a determined time of the server receiving the request to provideaccess. The threshold distance is based in part on the precision of thelocation information. The location information comprises an absolutelocation that is determined based on GPS signal information. The accesssignal may be transmitted from the server to the handheld device. Thehandheld device then transmits the access signal to the remote device.When the remote device receives the access signal, the remote deviceprovides access to the building.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The present application can be best understood by reference to thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingfigures, in which like parts may be referred to by like numerals.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system for providing physical access toa real estate property or building.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary process for providing physical access toa real estate property or building.

FIG. 3 illustrates another exemplary process for providing physicalaccess to a real estate property or building.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary process for processing a request foraccess to a real estate property or building.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary computing system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is presented to enable a person of ordinaryskill in the art to make and use the various embodiments. Descriptionsof specific devices, techniques, and applications are provided only asexamples. Various modifications to the examples described herein will bereadily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the generalprinciples defined herein may be applied to other examples andapplications without departing from the spirit and scope of the presenttechnology. Thus, the disclosed technology is not intended to be limitedto the examples described herein and shown, but is to be accorded thescope consistent with the claims.

Various embodiments are described below relating to building and realestate access. A system for providing physical access to a building thatis for sale, lease, or rent is described. The system includes a server,a remote device located at the building that prohibits access to thebuilding, and a handheld device. The handheld device transmits locationinformation for the handheld device and identification information tothe server. The server identifies the building based on the locationinformation and transmits marketing information for the building to thehandheld device. The handheld device displays the marketing informationon a display and transmits a request for access to the building. Therequest is transmitted to the server by the handheld device. The remotedevice is configured to provide access to the building when the remotedevice receives an access signal from the server or from the handhelddevice. The access signal is sent from the server after confirmation ofthe location information for the handheld device and confirmation of theidentification information.

The user of the handheld device may provide user input indicatinginterest in the displayed marketing information. In response, thehandheld device transmits a marketing request to the server. Themarketing request requests additional characteristics about thebuilding. In response to receiving the marketing request, the servertransmits supplementary characteristics about the building to thehandheld device for display.

The confirmation of the location information for the handheld device maycomprise confirmation that the location information indicates thehandheld device is within a threshold distance of the remote device. Theconfirmation of the location information may further compriseconfirmation that the location information is received by the serverwithin a determined time of the server receiving the request to provideaccess. The threshold distance may be based in part on the precision ofthe location information. The location information may comprise anabsolute location that is determined based on GPS signal information.The access signal may be transmitted from the server to the handhelddevice. The handheld device may then transmit the access signal to theremote device. When the remote device receives the access signal, theremote device provides access to the building.

This technique enables the use of a handheld device, such as asmartphone device, for integration with key access systems based onlocation. As a result, additional devices may not be necessary to permitaccess to a real estate property.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system for providing access to a realestate property or building. The system is configured, for example, toprovide physical access to a building 108. Alternatively, or inaddition, the system may be configured to provide physical access to aparcel of land or any other real estate property. An individual mayrequest access to the real estate in order to view it in anticipation ofa potential purchase, lease, or rent. Accordingly, the real estate towhich the system provides access may be for sale, lease, or rent.

Generally, any number of handheld devices 104 and remote devices 106 maybe coupled to server 102 though network 108. Server 102 may include aweb or information server for interfacing with network 108. Server 102may utilize various Web data interface techniques such as Common GatewayInterface (CGI) protocol and associated applications (or “scripts”),Java® “servlets”, i.e., Java applications running on a Web server, orthe like to transmit and receive data from handheld device 104 andremote device 106. Server 102, although described herein in thesingular, may actually comprise plural computers, devices, backends, andthe like, communicating (wired and/or wireless) and cooperating toperform the functions described herein.

Server 102 may include any one of various types of computer devices,having, e.g., a processing unit, a memory (including a permanent storagedevice), and a communication interface, as well as other conventionalcomputer components (e.g., input device, such as a keyboard and mouse,output device, such as display). Server 102 may communicate, in part orin whole, via wireless or hardwired communications, such as Ethernet,IEEE 802.11b wireless, or the like.

A remote device 106 is located at a real estate location. The remotedevice 106 may include a display, one or more processors, acommunication module, a mechanism for providing access to the realestate, a battery, and a location sensor. The communication module maybe, for example, a cellular module configured to access a GSM orCDMA-based network, a WLAN module configured to access an 802.11Xnetwork, a Bluetooth module configured to access other Bluetooth-enableddevices, a radio module configured to communicate using a proprietaryprotocol operating on a radio frequency, or the like. The cellularmodule may be configured to access, for example, an HSPA network, anHSPA+ network, an LTE network, a WiMAX network, and other cellularwireless communication networks.

In one example, the remote device 106 is configured to access network110 using the communication module. Remote device 106 and server 102 maycommunicate, e.g., via suitable communication interfaces via a network108, such as the Internet.

In one example, the mechanism for providing access to the real estate isa secure drawer that opens, revealing a key to the real estate property.In another example, the mechanism for providing access is a deadboltstyle locking mechanism. The locking mechanism includes a chassis with athrow deadbolt. For example, the throw deadbolt is a one-inch throwdeadbolt that is retractable. When the deadbolt is retracted, the doorto the real estate property may be opened and closed. When the deadboltis extended, the door to the real estate property may not be opened. Byretracting the deadbolt, the remote device provides access to the realestate property.

The location sensor is configured to sense a location of the remotedevice 106. In one example, the location sensor is a GPS receiver 112that receives GPS signals in order to calculate a location. In anotherexample, the location sensor is a WiFi or cellular network sensor thatuses triangulation based on signals from multiple transmitters todetermine a location. The location of the remote device 106 may betransmitted to the server using the communication module.

Handheld device 104 may include a laptop computer, a cellular phone, aPDA, a tablet, and the like. Handheld device 104 and server 102communicate, e.g., via suitable communication interfaces via a network108, such as the Internet. Similarly, handheld device 104 and remotedevice 106 may communicate, e.g., via network 108 or a differentnetwork, such as the Internet, or via a short distance communicationprotocol, such as Bluetooth. Alternatively, the handheld device 104 maybe a wearable device, such as a device worn on the wrist or over theeyes, or may be an embedded device, such as a component of a vehicle.

Handheld device 104 may include a display, a location sensor, an RFtransmitter, an RF receiver, one or more processors, and acomputer-readable storage medium. Handheld device 104 is configured toconnect to network 110 using the RF transmitter and RF receiver. Forexample, handheld device 104 may use a cellular module configured toaccess a GSM or CDMA-based network, a WLAN module configured to accessan 802.11X network, a Bluetooth module configured to access otherBluetooth-enabled devices, a near field communications mobile configuredto access other devices, or the like.

The location sensor of handheld device 104 is configured to sense alocation of the handheld device 104. In one example, the location sensoris a GPS receiver that receives GPS signals in order to calculate alocation. For example, a GPS indicator 114 may be displayed on thehandheld device 104 when a GPS signal is being received by the handhelddevice 104 or when the GPS component of the handheld device 104 isactive. In another example, the location sensor is a WiFi or cellularnetwork sensor that uses triangulation based on signals from multipletransmitters to determine a location. The location of the handhelddevice 104 may be transmitted to the server using the RF receiver and RFtransmitter.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary process for providing physical access toa building. During an initial configuration, independent profileinformation accessible at a server is associated with each of a user, anowner of the building, and a broker. The profile information for each ofthe user, owner, and broker may contain authentication data,preferences, additional characteristics, and the like. In one example,the user information can be entered by the user. In another example, theuser information is aggregated from one or more third-party sources,such as social networking services. Initially creating a profile on theserver may be done, for example, from any web enabled device with accessto the server, such as through the Internet, and does not require theuser to be a real estate agent or require the user to have a valid realestate license.

At block 202, the server receives user authentication information fromthe handheld device. The handheld device may be with the associated useras the user is traveling through an area with buildings, such as drivingthrough a neighborhood or a business center. The server may storeexisting profile information for the user. The profile information mayinclude, for example, a real estate property type (e.g., single family,condo, multifamily, manufactured, and the like), a range for a desiredsale, lease, or rental price of real estate, a range for a desiredsquare footage, a range for a desired lot size, a range for a desirednumber of bedrooms, a range for a desired number of bathrooms, a rangefor a desired build year, a range for the duration the real estate hasbeen on the market, and the like.

At block 204, the server receives location information of the handhelddevice. The location information of the handheld device may be receivedfrom the handheld device. The location information is based on thelocation of the handheld device. For example, the location informationmay be a mailing address, a geographic coordinate, or other informationidentifying the location of the device. The location information mayalso include information indicating a direction, speed, destination,expected route to destination, completed route, and the like. Thelocation information may specify the location of the handheld device byincluding an absolute location parameter or a relative locationparameter. Preferably, the absolute location parameter comprises alocation using, for example, a coordinate system or a similar system.The relative location parameter comprises a location indicating theproximity of the handheld device to another location or device.

At block 206, the server identifies a real estate property based on thereceived location information. The real estate property is available forsale, lease, or rent. In one example, the real estate property may beidentified based on the proximity of the real estate property to thelocation of the handheld device. Proximity may be determined by, forexample, comparing the absolute locations of the real estate propertyand the handheld device. In another example, the real estate property isidentified based on the proximity of the real estate property to a pointon the expected route to destination of the handheld device. In yetanother example, the real estate property is identified based on beingwithin a threshold distance of the location indicated by the locationinformation received at block 204 and in the direction, within a certainnumber of degrees, indicated by the location information received atblock 204. Additionally, the real estate property may be selected basedon the likelihood that the authenticated user in interested in viewingthe real estate for purchase, lease, or rent. The likelihood isdetermined, for example, using the user's profile information and realestate preferences.

At block 208, the server transmits real estate marketing information tothe handheld device. The real estate marketing information is selectedbased on its association with the identified real estate property thatis available for sale, lease, or rent. For example, the real estatemarking information includes the mailing address of the identified realestate property, the asking price of the identified real estateproperty, images and movies of the identified real estate property, andthe like. When the user views the real estate marketing information, theuser can determine based on the information contained in the real estatemarketing information whether the user is interested in the real estateproperty.

In one embodiment, the server only transmits real estate marketinginformation to the user when several criteria are met. First, the useris within a threshold distance from the location of the real estate.Second, the real estate meets the real estate preferences of the user asindicated in the user's profile information. Third, the serverdetermines that the user is moving based on location information or achange in location information. In other embodiments, the serverrequires that some, but not all, of these criteria are met beforetransmitting real estate marketing information. In yet otherembodiments, the server does not require that any of these criteria aremet.

At block 210, the server receives a request for detailed real estateinformation from the handheld device. The handheld device may transmitthe request to the server in response to a selection by the user on thehandheld device indicating that the user is interested in learning moreabout the real estate property described in the real estate information.The user may make the selection indicating that the user is interestedin learning more about the real estate property after perceiving thereal estate information.

At block 212, the server transmits detailed real estate marketinginformation to the user's handheld device. The detailed real estatemarketing information includes, for example, the location, asking price,square footage, lot size, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, andthe like, of the real estate. In one example, the detailed real estatemarking information may also include an advertisement for anotherproperty, an advertisement for a broker or real estate agent, oradvertisements or information about any number of other services orprofessionals. In this way, the server may transmit a relatively smallamount of information through the marketing information as anotification to the user about a potential property that may interestthe user. The user may then request additional detailed information withrespect to the properties that interest the user. In response to thisrequest, the server transmits the detailed real estate marketinginformation to the user's handheld device.

At block 214, the server receives a request for access to the realestate. The request includes the current location of the handhelddevice. At block 216, the server analyzes the current locationinformation of the handheld device, comparing it to the location of thereal estate property or the remote device. Both of these locations maybe expressed as absolute locations, rather than relative locations. Ifthe current location of the handheld device is within a thresholddistance from the location of the real estate property or remote device,the server transmits a signal granting access to the real estateproperty. The threshold distance for granting access to the real estateproperty, also called the access threshold distance, may be differentthan the threshold distance for transmitting real estate marketinginformation. The access threshold distance may depend in part on theprecision of the location information of the handheld device and/or theprecision of the location of the real estate property or remote device.

In some examples, the precision of the location information of thehandheld device and/or the precision of location of the real estateproperty or remote device may be controlled by the server. In someexamples, the precision of the location information of the handhelddevice and/or the precision of location of the real estate property orremote device may be determined by the server, such as by analyzingchanges in the location data. Alternatively, the precision of thelocation information of the handheld device and/or the precision oflocation of the remote device may be configured locally on the handhelddevice and on the remote device, respectively.

For example, if the precision of location is accurate to within a firstdegree of precision, the current location of the handheld device shouldbe within a first access threshold distance before access is granted. Ifthe precision of location is accurate to a second degree of precision(e.g., less precise than the first degree of precision), the currentlocation of the handheld device should be within a second accessthreshold distance (e.g., a longer distance or larger area) beforeaccess is granted. In this way, the system can be more stringent whenthe location information is more precise, and less stringent when thelocation information is less precise. Thus, a system that receiveslocation information that is precise to within six inches may requirethat the user with the handheld device be within three feet of a lockeddoor before allowing access, while a system that receives locationinformation that is precise to within 20 yards may require that the userwith the handheld device is within 30 yards of the locked door beforeallowing access. Alternatively, or in addition, the access thresholddistance used for providing access may depend in part on the accuracy,expected error, or expected magnitude of error of the locationinformation of the handheld device and/or the accuracy, expected error,or expected magnitude of error of the location information of the realestate property or remote device.

In one example, this access signal is received by the handheld deviceand relayed to the remote device. The relay happens, for example,through a Bluetooth connection transmitting the access signal or throughan optical imaging device on the remote device that senses a visuallyrendered access signal on the handheld device. In another example, theaccess signal is transmitted by the server to the remote device, withoutthe handheld device intervening or relaying the access signal. In eitherexample, when the remote device receives the access signal, the remotedevice permits access to the building or real estate property.

The remote device may limit the duration during which access to thebuilding or real estate property is permitted. For example, the remotedevice can keep a door unlocked for a determined access duration. Inthis way, persons inside the building can still exit the buildingthrough the door after the determined access duration has expired.However, the remote device will not permit access to the buildingthrough the door by persons outside the building after the accessduration has expired. The access duration may be included in the accesssignal. For example, the server may indicate a longer access durationwhen the user or handheld device is further from the remote device orbuilding entrance at the time the access request is received. Thus, whena person requesting access is closer to the entrance, the door remainsunlocked for a shorter duration than when a person requesting access isfurther from the entrance. In addition, the access duration may be basedon the size (e.g., square feet) or configuration (e.g., layout, numberof floors, etc.) of the building or real estate property.

As discussed above, the location information of the handheld device mayinclude an absolute location. Similarly, the location information of thereal estate property or the remote device may also include an absolutelocation. Location information may indicate a specific point, such as aGPS coordinate, or a region. In one example, region-based locationinformation is based on a real-world geographic area such as aneighborhood or city block. In another example, region-based locationinformation is based on virtual boundaries or a radius around a pointlocation.

In one example, information associated with the access request may betransmitted to an agent or owner of the real estate property, who maymake a determination on whether access should be granted or denied.Additionally, the access request may be granted or denied in part basedon a viewing schedule. As an example of a viewing schedule, the owner orreal estate agent associated with the real estate property may specifythat access should (or should not) be granted on certain days of theweek, on certain holidays, between certain hours of the day, or anyother duration. Accordingly, access to the real estate property forviewing does not need to be on a Sunday morning or afternoon, as in aconventional open house.

At block 218, the server transmits a notification indicating that accessto the real estate property has been granted. For example, thenotification may be transmitted to the owner of the real estate propertyor the real estate agent associated with the real estate property byemail or any other method. This may allow the owner and real estateagent to monitor the frequency and timing of access to the real estateproperty. The access details may also be stored in a database to enabledata mining for frequency of access, timing of various accesses,durations of accesses, and other metrics.

In general, the blocks of FIG. 2 may be performed in various orders, andin some instances may be performed partially or fully in parallel.Additionally, not all blocks must be performed. For example, the systemmay transmit detailed real estate marketing information withoutreceiving a request for detailed real estate marketing information.

FIG. 3 illustrates another exemplary process for providing physicalaccess to a real estate property. A user is carrying or using a handhelddevice, such as a cellular smart telephone. The user may be, forexample, travelling in a vehicle along a road or the user may bestationary.

At block 302, the handheld device transmits identification informationfor the handheld device or the user of the handheld device to a server.The identification information is used by the server to authenticate thehandheld device or the user. For example, the identification informationmay comprise a login/password combination, an electronic image of agovernment-issued identification of the user, an International MobileEquipment Identity (IMEI), an Electronic Serial Number (ESN), a SIM cardidentifier, a line of credit account information, an electronic imagecomprising biometric information, or the like.

At block 304, the handheld device receives location signal informationfrom one or more transmitters. The transmitters may include WiFi basestation transmitters, GPS satellite signal transmitters, or the like.The location signal information may be received at one or more signalreceiving modules of the handheld device, such as at multiple receivers.

At block 306, the handheld device determines a location for the handhelddevice. The location may be an absolute location, such as a GPScoordinate (e.g., N37 46.53599 W122 25.158). In another example, theabsolute location can be expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds(e.g., N 37° 46′ 32.1594″, W 122° 25′ 9.48″). The location may becalculated based on measuring the intensity of the received locationsignal information or comparing timing information contained in thereceived location signal information. Similarly, a hybrid positioningsystem can be used where information is gathered from one or more ofGPS, cellular towers, WiFi devices, Bluetooth devices, and the like, inorder to determine a location for the handheld device.

At block 308, the handheld device transmits location information for thehandheld device to a server. The location information is based on thereceived location signals, and may contain the calculated location ofthe handheld device. The location information may also includeinformation indicating a direction, speed, destination, expected routeto destination, completed route, and the like of the handheld device.

At block 310, the handheld device receives marketing information fromthe server. The server transmits the marketing information to thehandheld device in response to detecting that a condition has beensatisfied. The condition may be, for example, that the locationinformation received from the handheld device indicates that thehandheld device is located within a threshold distance of a real estateproperty that is available for sale, lease, or rent. In this example,the marketing information will include information about the real estateproperty that is determined to be within the threshold distance of thehandheld device.

At block 312, the handheld device causes a display to display thereceived marketing information. The handheld device may additionallydisplay directions to the real estate property associated with themarketing information. The displayed directions to the real estateproperty can be used by the user of the handheld device to facilitatenavigation to the real estate property for which the marketinginformation is displayed.

At block 314, the handheld device transmits an access request to theserver. Typically, this request will be transmitted when the user andhandheld device are within an access threshold distance for access ofthe real estate property. For example, when the handheld device or theuser is at the gate of a property or the door of a building. In oneembodiment, the handheld device transmits updated location informationto the server within a determined time of the access request. The serververifies that the handheld device is within an access threshold distanceof the real estate property, or within an access threshold distance of alocation at the real estate property, before permitting access.

For example, the determined time difference between the last locationinformation and the access request, referred to as the location-accesstime, may be one minute. The handheld device can verify when the lastlocation information was transmitted to the server. If the last locationinformation was transmitted to the server longer than one minute ago,the handheld device will transmit updated location information to theserver in conjunction with the access request. The updated locationinformation may be transmitted before, after, or simultaneous totransmitting the access request to the server. The server may comparethe timing of the latest received location information for the handhelddevice with the timing of the access request to determine if access tothe real estate property should be granted.

In one embodiment, the access request is initiated in response totriggering a geo-fencing feature of the handheld device. Geo-fencingincludes, for example, a virtual perimeter around a geographic area. Thegeographic area may be, for example, the real estate property, the areaimmediately surrounding the real estate property, or the area within aradius of a point on the real estate property. When the handheld devicedetects that the handheld device has entered the specified geographicarea, the handheld device initiates transmitting an access request tothe server. Similarly, the handheld device may prompt the user forpermission to initiate transmitting an access request to the server.

A remote device at the real estate property is configured to provideaccess to the real estate property when an access signal is receivedfrom the server or the handheld device. The access signal indicates thatthe remote device should permit access to the building. The accesssignal is sent based on confirmation of the location information for thehandheld device and confirmation of the identification information forthe handheld device or the user of the handheld device.

Similarly, the remote device at the real estate property may beconfigured to deny access to the real estate property after the serveror the remote device determines that the handheld device is not within adetermined locking distance. For example, once the system detects thatthe user has left the property and is more than 200 yards from theproperty, the remote device receives a lock signal to deny access to thereal estate property. The remote device denies access to the real estateproperty by, for example, locking a deadbolt, until a subsequent accesscondition is met.

In general, the blocks of FIG. 3 may be performed in various orders, andin some instances may be performed partially or fully in parallel. Forexample, location signal information may be received prior totransmitting identification information. Additionally, not all blocksmust be performed.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary process for processing a request foraccess to a real estate property. At block 402, a server receives anaccess request for physical access to a real estate property. The accessrequest originates from a handheld device. One of ordinary skill in theart will readily recognize that some blocks in FIG. 4 may be omitted,additional blocks may be added, and that the order of the blocks may bechanged without significantly changing the request for accessprocessing.

At block 404, the server determines whether a user or handheld deviceassociated with the access request has been authenticated. Various formsof authentication may be employed to verify the identity of the user orthe handheld device.

After determining that the user or handheld device has not beenauthenticated, the server will deny access to the real estate propertyat block 410. Alternatively, or in addition, the server may request thatthe user or handheld device authenticate. The server can deny access by,for example, not issuing an access signal to a remote device located atthe real estate property, where the remote device is configured toprovide physical access to the real estate property upon receiving theaccess signal. The server can also deny access by, for example, issuinga denial signal to the remote device. The denial signal indicates thataccess should not be granted. If, at block 404, the server determinesthat the user or handheld device is authenticated, the process continuesto block 406.

At block 406, the server will determine whether the time differencebetween the last location information received and the access request isless than (or, alternatively, equal to or less than) a determined time.This time difference is referred to as the location-access time limit.The purpose of this determination is to help confirm that the user orhandheld device is at or near the location described in the locationinformation at the time access to the real estate property is requested.

In one example, the location-access time limit is three minutes. Whenthe server receives location information, the server associates thelocation information with a location information received time stamp.When the server receives an access request at block 402, the serverassociates the access request with an access request received timestamp. At block 406, the server determines whether the differencebetween the location information received time stamp and the accessrequest received time stamp is less than the location-access timelimit—three minutes in this example. If the difference in time is lessthan three minutes, the process continues to block 408. If thedifference in time is not less than three minutes, the server deniesaccess at block 410 or waits an amount of time equal to or greater thanthe location-access time limit before denying access at block 410. Ifthe system is configured to wait an amount of time equal to or greaterthan the location-access time limit, the process continues to block 408if location information is received after the access request, but withinthree minutes after the access request is received. Therefore, theprocess may continue to block 408 regardless of whether the accessrequest is received before or after the location information, as long asthe access request and the location information are received within theperiod defined by the location-access time limit.

At block 408, the server will determine whether the location informationis within a determined access threshold distance from the location ofthe remote device. For example, the distance determination may be basedon a straight line distance between the location of the handheld deviceand the remote device or based on a path distance between the locationof the handheld device and the remote device. The path may be, forexample, a road, a footpath, a trail, or an expected route around anobstacle. Based on the determination that the location informationindicates a location within a determined distanced of the remote device,the system allows access to the real estate property at block 412. Ifthe system determines that the distances between the location indicatedby the location information and the location of the remote device is notwithin the access threshold distance, the system denies access (or doesnot allow access) at block 410. At block 410, the system may alsorequest an update of the location information of the handheld device.Similarly, the handheld device may transmit updated location informationof the handheld device in response to receiving a denial of access basedon not being located within the access threshold distance.

In general, the blocks of FIG. 4 may be performed in various orders, andin some instances may be performed partially or fully in parallel.Additionally, not all blocks must be performed.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary computing system 500 configured to performany one of the above-described processes. In this context, computingsystem 500 may include, for example, one or more processors, memory,storage, and input/output devices (e.g., monitor, keyboard, disk drive,Internet connection, etc.). However, computing system 500 may includecircuitry or other specialized hardware for carrying out some or allaspects of the processes. In some operational settings, computing system500 may be configured as a system that includes one or more units, eachof which is configured to carry out some aspects of the processes eitherin software, hardware, or some combination thereof.

FIG. 5 depicts computing system 500 with a number of components that maybe used to perform the above-described processes. The main system 502includes a motherboard 504 having an input/output (“I/O”) section 506,one or more central processing units (“CPU”) 508, and a memory section510, which may have a flash memory card 512 related to it. The I/Osection 506 is connected to a display 524, a keyboard 514, a diskstorage unit 516, a media drive unit 518, and an access provider 526.The media drive unit 518 can read/write a computer-readable medium 520,which can contain programs 522 and/or data. The access provider canprovide access to real estate properties, such as by notifying aproperty manager or security provider, throwing a deadbolt to unlock adoor or gate, mechanically or magnetically disengaging a lock mechanism,or the like.

At least some values based on the results of the above-describedprocesses can be saved for subsequent use. Additionally, anon-transitory computer-readable medium can be used to store (e.g.,tangibly embody) one or more computer programs for performing any one ofthe above-described processes by means of a computer. The computerprogram may be written, for example, in a general-purpose programminglanguage (e.g., Pascal, C, C++, Java, and HTML5) or some specializedapplication-specific language.

Various exemplary embodiments are described herein. Reference is made tothese examples in a non-limiting sense. They are provided to illustratemore broadly applicable aspects of the disclosed technology. Variouschanges may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departingfrom the true spirit and scope of the various embodiments. In addition,many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation,material, composition of matter, process, process act(s) or step(s) tothe objective(s), spirit or scope of the various embodiments. Further,as will be appreciated by those with skill in the art that each of theindividual variations described and illustrated herein has discretecomponents and features which may be readily separated from or combinedwith the features of any of the other several embodiments withoutdeparting from the scope or spirit of the various embodiments. All suchmodifications are intended to be within the scope of claims associatedwith this disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for providing physical access to abuilding that is for sale, lease, or rent, the system comprising: aserver; a remote device located at the building, the remote deviceconfigured to prohibit access to the building; and a handheld devicehaving: a display; a location receiver; an rf transmitter; an rfreceiver; one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium having stored computer instructions executable on the oneor more processors, the computer instructions comprising instructionsfor: causing to be transmitted, to the server, first locationinformation for the handheld device based on location signals receivedat the location receiver; causing to be transmitted, to the server,identification information for the handheld device or the user of thehandheld device; causing to be received, from the server, marketinginformation for the building, wherein the building was identified basedon the first location information transmitted to the server and based onuser profile information associated with the identification information;causing to be displayed, on the display, the received marketinginformation; and causing to be transmitted, to the server, a request toprovide access to the building; wherein the remote device is configuredto provide access to the building when an access signal is received fromthe server or the handheld device, and wherein the access signal is sentbased on confirmation of second location information for the handhelddevice and confirmation of the identification information for thehandheld device or the user of the handheld device; wherein theconfirmation of the second location information for the handheld devicecomprises confirmation that the second location information indicatesthe handheld device is within a threshold distance of the remote device;and wherein the conformation of the second location information for thehandheld device further comprises confirmation that the second locationinformation is received within a determined time of receiving therequest to provide access, wherein the first location informationcomprises a first absolute location and the second location informationcomprises a second absolute location, wherein a first distance betweenthe first absolute location and the remote device is longer than asecond distance between the second absolute location and the remotedevice, and wherein the second location information is caused to betransmitted subsequent to the first location information being caused tobe transmitted, and wherein confirmation of the identificationinformation for the handheld device or the user of the handheld devicecomprises: accessing an identity data selected from the group consistingof biometric data, state issued identification data, and signature data.2. The system of claim 1, the computer instructions further comprisinginstructions for: receiving a user input, the user input indicatinginterest in the marketing information; causing to be transmitted, to theserver, a marketing request to provide additional characteristics aboutthe building, the marketing request transmitted in response to receivingthe user input; and receiving, from the server, supplementarycharacteristics about the building.
 3. The system of claim 1, whereinthe threshold distance is based in part on the precision of the secondlocation information.
 4. The system of claim 1, the computerinstructions further comprising instructions for: causing to bereceived, from the server, the access signal; and causing to betransmitted, to the remote device, the access signal.
 5. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the absolute location is determined based on GPS signalinformation.
 6. A handheld device for coordinating physical access to abuilding that is for sale, lease, or rent, the handheld devicecomprising: a display; a location receiver; an rf transmitter; an rfreceiver; one or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium having stored computer instructions executable on the oneor more processors, the computer instructions comprising instructionsfor: causing to be transmitted, to one or more servers, first locationinformation for the handheld device based on location signals receivedat the location receiver; causing to be transmitted, to the one or moreservers, identification information for the handheld device or the userof the handheld device; causing to be received, from the one or moreservers, marketing information for the building, wherein the buildingwas identified by the one or more servers based on the first locationinformation transmitted to the one or more servers; causing to bedisplayed, on the display, the received marketing information; andcausing to be transmitted, to the one or more servers, a request toprovide access to the building; wherein a remote device is configured toprovide access to the building in response to the remote devicereceiving an access signal from the one or more servers or the handhelddevice, and wherein the access signal is sent based on confirmation ofsecond location information for the handheld device and confirmation ofthe identification information for the handheld device or the user ofthe handheld device; and wherein the confirmation of the second locationinformation for the handheld device comprises confirmation that thesecond location information indicates the handheld device is within athreshold distance of the remote device; and wherein the conformation ofthe second location information for the handheld device furthercomprises confirmation that the second location information is receivedwithin a determined time of receiving the request to provide access,wherein the first location information comprises a first absolutelocation and the second location information comprises a second absolutelocation, wherein a first distance between the first absolute locationand the remote device is longer than a second distance between thesecond absolute location and the remote device, and wherein the secondlocation information is caused to be transmitted subsequent to the firstlocation information being caused to be transmitted, and whereinconfirmation of the identification information for the handheld deviceor the user of the handheld device comprises: accessing an identity dataselected from the group consisting of biometric data, state issuedidentification data, and signature data.
 7. The handheld device of claim6, the computer instructions further comprising instructions for:receiving a user input, the user input indicating interest in themarketing information; causing to be transmitted, to the one or moreservers, a marketing request to provide additional characteristics aboutthe building, the marketing request transmitted in response to receivingthe user input; and receiving, from the one or more servers,supplementary characteristics about the building.
 8. The handheld deviceof claim 6, wherein the threshold distance is based in part on theprecision of the second location information.
 9. The handheld device ofclaim 6, the computer instructions further comprising instructions for:causing to be received, from the server, the access signal; and causingto be transmitted, to the remote device, the access signal.
 10. Thehandheld device of claim 6, wherein the absolute location is determinedbased on GPS signal information.